TG Fitness Chaiyaphum (2019)

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Nai Mueang, Mueang Chaiyaphum District, Chaiyaphum 36000

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Cost: 70 THB per visit, or 699 THB per month.

Opening times: Mon – Fri: 6:30-22:00, Sat – Sun: 6:30 – 20:00

 

This attractive gym is located in the centre of Chaiyaphum, slightly to the North, about two minutes walk from the large Tesco Lotus. It is a large well-equipped gym and by far the biggest in town.

At the end of 2018, the TG Fitness Chaiyaphum closed for a couple of weeks to renovate. The gym is broadly the same as before, and the main changes are as follows:

• The tattier equipment has gone, making the gym more attractive and having only good quality equipment.
• The worse-for-wear rowing machines have gone and have not been replaced; sorry, rowers.
• One of the floor space areas has been replaced with an extra set of pull up bars and crossover cables.
• My favourite: an assisted pull-ups machine has been added!
• The main floor area around the freeweights has been redone, meaning the previously loose floor tiles are a thing of the past – yay!
• The small climbing wall has gone.
• There is now a table tennis table for general use.
• There is a large extension still being built, which looks like a longterm venture.
• The daily rate has increased from 60 THB to 70 THB. No change to monthly rate.

Facilities

The gym has an excellent number of both cardio and resistance machines. Cardio machines include numerous treadmills and a variety of bikes, a few crosstrainers/ellipticals and two rowing machines (although one of these has been out of order since I arrived here three weeks ago).

There are dedicated floor areas along with an open “studio”, which is simply an open area by the front of the gym, where three Zumba classes happen per week presently – although finding out the times of these proved to be a challenge. I was told they were on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays at 6pm by two different staff, but after I arrived in time for one of these, I was told they are in fact at 630 on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. These are currently the only classes.

The main drawback to TG Fitness Chaiyaphum is still the lack of aircon – don’t go without a towel to mop yourself up with. There are a reasonable number of fans around, but you probably won’t be able to get a constant blast from them as they rotate. Being Thailand, it is extremely hot most of the year, and aircon would certainly be desirable – train earlier in the day for cooler temperatures. The gym is extremely quiet during the day as well, but like most gyms, can get very busy after 530pm, with occasional waits to get on equipment such as treadmills, despite there being lots of them!

Weights and Functional Equipment

Free-weight dumbbells go from 2.5kg to 25kg and there are many duplicates, making it easy to find the weights you want, even during busier periods. Barbells come in 7.5kg, 10kg, 15kg, 20kg and 25kg weights, in both straight and curled bar types.

Although well-equipped with weights and a large number of resistance machines, there is limited functional training equipment, though this includes battles ropes, a super-heavy large tyre, some mats and a roller. There are no kettlebells, BOSUs, Swiss balls or medicine balls.

There is one toilet and one shower each for men and women – take your own toilet paper! Note that free drinking water is not provided, but you can purchase it at reception.

Lockers are provided though and you can borrow a key at reception for 50 baht deposit. They also sell protein powder, either in bulk or in 60 baht sachets.

Summary

Overall a good, spacious, well-priced gym. Whilst it would be good to see more functional equipment there, the main issue for me was the lack of aircon. However, I did not find any air-conditioned gyms in Chaiyaphum during my 5 months there. Train early.

TRX Training- A Great All-round Body Workout!

Please note this content has since been updated. Click here for a more recent review.

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